The present invention relates to an apparatus that provides a serial electrical connection between two fluid cooled conductors and, more particularly, to the electrical interconnection of adjacent liquid cooled stator coils in a turbine generator.
Typically, top and bottom stator coils disposed in different stator core slots are connected hydraulically in parallel and electrically in series. In order to provide the electrical connection between the adjacent termini of two coils, a plurality of conductive leads are used to traverse the distance between the two adjacent coil termini. Each coil that is to be connected to another coil's end must be equipped with an appropriate interconnective apparatus. This apparatus performs the dual functions of enabling the introduction of a fluid coolant into the coil and securely fastening one end of a bundle of conductive leads that connect the coil to another, adjacent coil. The adjacent coil is cooperatively associated with another similar apparatus that enables the introduction of fluid coolant into it and securely fastens the other end of the aforementioned bundle of connective leads. The two apparatus work individually to provide a fluid coolant inlet or outlet for their associated coils and conjunctively to fasten the bundle of conductive leads between them.
A present design of the connection apparatus comprises a nozzle connected to a box shaped plenum. Connected to the plenum's header cap is a four-sided ferrule structure having two opposing open sides. Extending into one open side of this structure, the bundle of interconnective conductive leads are wedged against two internal sides of this four-sided structure. All segments of this connective apparatus are conductive and generally rigid.
The present invention utilizes an L-shaped pressure plate that is bolted to an associated generally L-shaped device which has a fluid passage machined therethrough. The two most significant advantages of the present invention over prior methods are that the bundle of conductive leads can be securely clamped without requiring separate wedges and that the fluid nozzle is disposed in a matter than does not interfere with the assembly of conductive leads into the connective apparatus of the present invention.